This invention relates generally to a toy kitchen for children, and in particular, to an electronic toy kitchen that produces various sensory outputs in response to inputs from a child. The invention is particularly useful in teaching children about the function and operation of a kitchen.
A popular category of children""s toys is generally referred to as xe2x80x9ckitchen toys.xe2x80x9d Kitchen toys entertain children by simulating the activities of their parents in the kitchen. Many kitchen toys include a variety of common kitchen appliances to create a realistic feel to the toy. A variety of conventional kitchen toys are known in the art. The disclosed kitchen toy provides enhanced play value for children by providing more interactive and realistic play patterns.
The toy kitchen of the invention has a variety of play features, including a countertop, a stove top arrangement, a sink, an answering machine and telephone, and a cookbook. The toy kitchen includes a control system that receives and processes inputs from several switches associated with the various play features. The control system includes a logic program that determines which input has been received and generates an appropriate sensory output in response to the particular input.
The disclosed stove top arrangement includes a pair of simulated burners on which a child may place a utensil. A switch is placed beneath each burner to sense an object that has been placed on a burner.
The disclosed sink includes a rotatably mounted faucet handle. When the handle is turned, it engages a switch that provides an input to the control system that in turn generates an audible output simulating the sound of running water.
A simulated cookbook is mounted on the countertop. The cookbook includes a page that is pivotally mounted to the cookbook base so that it can be turned by the child user. When the page is turned to either side of the cookbook, it engages a switch on the cookbook base. When an object is placed on one of the burners, the sound output by the control system varies depending on which side of the page engages the switch.
The answering machine and telephone are mounted to the frame of the kitchen toy above the countertop. The answering machine includes a lamp that flashes to indicate that a message is waiting to be heard. A phone button or an answering machine button may be pressed to signal the control system to play the message. Several conversational phrases are stored in memory in the control system.